Actor Sam Worthington says his life has been changed by a book from a first-time Queensland author that celebrates the small pleasures of life.

Worthington came across Hailey Bartholomew's project, 365 Gratefuls, online and was instantly struck by its beauty and simplicity.

In the book, co-authored with husband Andrew, Bartholomew overcomes her depression by each day photographing and writing about one thing for which she is grateful.

“My life goes into the red quite a lot of times,” says Worthington. “It actually puts into perspective those things that are important and which tend to be the things you lose sight of: the loved ones around you, … the people that are there to help.

Author Hailey Bartholomew with Sam Worthington who is helping Hailey to promote her book on depression called Gratitude 365. Photo: Steven Siewert

“We all think sometimes that the house is what you are meant to get, the big job is what you are meant to get … but it's not. We are blessed to wake up in the morning.”

Worthington was so impressed by the book that he contacted Bartholomew offering to help her promote it.

Advertisement

The only problem was that Bartholomew hadn't heard of Worthington, best known for his roles in Avatar and Terminator Salvation.

“I didn't know who he was!” she says. “I said to my husband, 'There's this weird email from somebody who says they are an actor called Sam Worthington'.”

Bartholomew was soon set straight and is now harnessing Worthington's star power to publicise her book and help other depression sufferers.

Her own tussle with depression began in 2008.

“I felt like there was not much meaning even though I had two cute kids and a nice husband,” she says. “I just didn't feel much for them. I call it 'blah'. I had no passion or excitement for anything. It was really affecting how I was mothering. It was affecting lots of things.”

The turning point came when Bartholomew sought advice from a nun who told her the secret of happiness was reflection and gratitude. She was given an assignment to write down what she was grateful for at the end of each day.

There's this weird email from somebody who says they are an actor called Sam Worthington.

“I did that and was amazed at the stuff I was noticing so I started a photographic project called 365 Gratefuls,” says Bartholomew.

“It made me see what I had in my life rather than what I was running towards. It also made me be really present to my children and nature and the delight of little things like … ugg boots on a cold morning or a great cup of tea and a good conversation with a friend. It's the sweet stuff of life but when you're in a hurry getting somewhere you don't notice.”

Worthington says he had originally set out to find help for a friend who was depressed, when he came across Bartholomew's book.

“When my mate started trying it he did find the clouds start to go away,” he says.

And now Worthington, who is about to start work on Kidnapping Freddy Heineken with Sir Anthony Hopkins, makes a habit of recording his own “gratefuls” each day.

“Mine are small things,” he says. “It's weird things. You'd find them odd but that's the great thing – a smirk from a friend or a stranger waving. It's the simple things, the odd things that I like.”